PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s motion to annul the Emergency Ordinances (EO) has been postponed to the next Dewan Rakyat sitting.
Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar requested that the motion to be delayed to the next sitting, along with several other motions.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun approved Wan Junaidi’s request.
In July, the Law Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan shocked MPs when he told the Dewan Rakyat that Putrajaya had cancelled all EO that were enacted this year, on July 21 during a Cabinet meeting.
“The Government has decided, based on Article 150(3) (of the Federal Constitution), to cancel all emergency ordinances (formulated) during the proclamation of emergency.
“Hence, (the laws have been) revoked. Therefore, the issue of annulment (of the laws) is no longer relevant,” Malaysiakini reported him as saying.
Several legal experts have questioned the legality of the Government annulling the EO in such manner, with lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri saying that Perikatan Nasional had removed itself from power under Section 11 of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021.
The Government’s decision then even received a rare rebuke from Istana Negara, with the Agong criticising Takiyuddin and Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun for misleading the Parliament as duo had promised to table the EO revocation at the Parliament.
Subsequently, several UMNO leaders withdrew support from then premier Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, which led to his ouster and getting replaced with Ismail.
EOs are laws made by decree on the authority of the Agong during an Emergency, bypassing the august house.
Under the Federal Constitution, EOs cease to be in effect six months after the state of Emergency expires. – Oct 12, 2021.
